Don O'Leary, a man lovingly shaped by faith, family, hard work, and a sparkling sense of humor,
passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 29 at age 90 in Verona, PA, with loved ones at his
side.
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, the second of two boys, Don grew up in a cozy, full household
with his mother, brother, grandparents, and numerous boarders, six blocks from the newly
founded Heinz company complex. Perpetually the youngest one in the room and constantly
signing up for school, work, and recreational activities a bit ahead of the official age limit, Don's
childhood memories included summer days at the municipal swimming pool with his cousins,
dinners of traditional sauerkraut and spaetzle cooked by his grandmother, playing baseball,
building bonfires, keeping an ear out for wartime air raid drills, and going on bicycle adventures
around the city.
Always ready to earn his way, Don took his first job at age 12 as a school lunch hour cashier.
From then through college, he kept busy and helped support the household clerking at a drug
store, shoveling coal, delivering packages, operating elevators, and servicing cars.
Don attended several Catholic schools in the city, followed by the University of Pittsburgh,
speeding to and from the Cathedral of Learning on the "Flying Fraction" trolley. In his
sophomore year, he joined the Platoon Leaders group of the ROTC, spending summer tours in
Parris Island and Quantico. He graduated from Pitt in 1953, summa cum laude.
Starting in his senior year at Pitt, Don worked thirty hours a week at one of the "big eight" CPA
firms, where he returned after his military discharge. In 1960, he took a job at Pittsburgh
National Bank, where he would serve in several roles for the next thirty years.
1960 also saw Don marry his beloved wife Gerry. Together, they raised six children, in a family
which has since expanded to fourteen grandchildren and three great grandchildren, and
reaches across the continental United States, Canada, and England. Family photos of Don and
Gerry's family, an ever-growing sea of 30+ smiling faces, annually serve as a reminder of the
couple's enduring legacy.
Don is remembered by those who loved him for his dry wit, devotion to his tomato garden,
ferocious card skills, and trust in God. He viewed life as a gift and a journey, with an open heart
for all of his family and friends. Friends and relatives will be received at the BURKET-TRUBY FUNERAL HOME CREMATION AND ALTERNATIVE SERVICES, INC. 421 Allegheny Ave. Oakmont, PA 15139 on Sunday May 7 from 3-7 p.m. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Monday May 8 at 10 a.m. at St. Irenaeus Catholic Church - Holy Family Parish, Oakmont. Interment will follow at Northside Catholic cemetery with military honors.
In lieu of flowers, Don's family welcomes memorial contributions to the Deer Valley
YMCA Family Camp Conservancy Fund or any charity in Don's name.